Into The Strait of Insainty
by PheonixFireBlack
Summary: Charlie on his addiction, one night he nearly lost it all, and now there's even a saving grace here for them all. They can go home now. And Charlie plans to do just that. Rated because i don't remember how loose I was with my words....
1. Into The Strait of Insanity Ch 1

Title - Into The Strait of Insanity  
By - PheonixFireBlack  
Summary - "People think they know what it is, what it does, and how it feels. They have no idea. You can only understand when you've done it, when you've actually tried it." ....... "I don't remember when or why I started or how I got to the point that I'm at now..." Charlie on his cocaine addiction and the one night he nearly lost it all.  
Category - Lost  
Genre - General  
Rating - PG-13  
Feedback - Please?  
Criticism - Sure, why not? Flame me for all I care. stares at flames Ooohhhh...preeettty colors!  
_**Disclaimer - I do not own anything. Too bad...I'd LOVE to own Charlie/Dominic Monaghan, but...life sucks and then you die, right? **__Dedication - To Nuwanda: I based the hallucination bits described here off of your stuff in "Breaking The Habit", but only slightly and I tweaked it all to my own sights...I think...I hope...Don't kill me! I love what you've done with that fic so far and can't WAIT to see what you've got planned for the next chapter __wonders what you've got up your sleeve__Nevertheless, THANKS and much glompage!  
_Notes - Well, when I was watching the whole big flashback ordeal with Charlie on the plane, I got an idea. Yes. La di da. I hope it's good. I'll let you determine that, though. LATER!

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**Into The Strait of Insanity - Ch 1  
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The Lady. Girl. White. Uptown. Coke. It all means the same thing no matter what you call it. When you get down to it, it's all cocaine. It's a messed up drug that happens to be something I have learned brings happiness to people. Most importantly, it makes me forget. Makes me forget about all the things that are going on in my life that I'd really rather not have happening. There are a few different ways to use the drug, but I typically inhale it. In every meaning of the word.

People think they know what it is, what it does, and how it feels. They have no idea. You can only understand when you've done it, when you've actually tried it. You only know how it feels when you've spent night after night staring up at a ceiling that has allowed a multi-colored, revolving disk made up of hundreds of little squares that constantly change in color slowly drop down only an inch from your face, spinning all the while, which suddenly explodes and the debris turn to rain, which changes into a river of fire. You know you've dropped it when that river of fire engulfs you and while it's doing so, you manage to note that its turned into a fiery dragon. You know you've truly felt the effects of the drug when you've laid in the same place for hours on end and watched shadows that shouldn't be there dance across the room; when it feels like someone is beating a heavy tune on your head with drumsticks made of an impossibly bright light. That's when you know you've hit rock bottom. And if you're anything like me, you enjoy every second of it.

A lot of people don't know how cocaine really works, mostly because they won't touch the stuff with a ten foot pole. The effects work in different times depending on how you use it. Injection, which I've only done once or twice, takes about eight seconds. I've never liked waiting; that's why I inhale. It works immediately. Honestly, it really is an immediate high. Cocaine is both a central nervous system stimulant and an anesthetic. The effects can vary slightly from person to person, but things that are most common include: Increases in heart rate, blood pressure, pulse rate, and body temperature. There are several other effects, but the ones that I've experienced are: Insomnia, which was extremely horrible because of the restlessness that it was accompanied by; increased alertness, fear and paranoia have been known to come from me when I take larger doses, but the worst came that night. I almost died that night because of it. We'll get more into that later.

To be truthful, I don't remember when or why I started or how I got to the point that I'm at now. Anyone that knew me well enough to know what my life was really like would probably tell you that I only started because my home life was real shitty. Well, even if that was part of it, that was far from the true reason. What that reason really was, I don't know. My mind doesn't work as well as it used to, I suppose. How, I guess, is a bit of an easier question. The people I hung out with. They were doing it, why shouldn't I, right? Well, all I can say is people are right. Cocaine is highly addictive, but I liked it. I liked the feeling and I loved the forgetfulness. Increases in my doses came and I learned to like it even more. And to me, that's all that matters.

Where am I going with this? I don't know. What do I know? Why are you asking me? I'm the one killing my brain more and more every day with constantly increasing doses of cocaine, right?. I'm losing my grip on reality, and I know it, but somehow I don't really care. Amazing isn't it? This is the point that most people decide to stop. A lot of people I've seen, anyway. Well, I'm not that easy. It'll take a lot more than losing my mind to stop me.

Losing my mind. Funny that came up. You remember "that night" I mentioned earlier? I figure we could go into that soon. Yeah. But not at this moment. Right now, I'm going to leave you to your safe, non-drug induced life. I'm going to go make this habit of mine just a little worse. Tomorrow, I might tell you what you want to know. But today, you get left behind while I get to watch an interesting show of non-existent lights, shadows, fire, and whatever else my mind might come up with. Hey, at least I don't have to pay for a ticket to see the show, just the drugs...right?

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**END Ch 1 **

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**Notes - I hope this caught your attention. I hope this didn't sound TOO off-base and whatnot. I am a deprived little girl. My mother would DIE if she saw me looking at sites for information on cocaine, so, I only had one site's information saved to disk to go off of. I figured it was all right. (**_shug_**) I dunno. Nevertheless, it exists and all, and I hope that if you took the time to read this, you'll review it. THANKS AGAIN Christina!!!!! You rock. You rule. DORKVILLE FOREVER!!!!  
  
By the way, this was written before ANYTHING was known, and before I knew it was heroine instead of cocaine, but don't kill me over that, guys. Honestly. I wrote this during the aftermath of the first or second episdoe. or something. I don't remember. lol**

**Drop me a line!**

Later days,  
-PFB-


	2. Into The Strait of Insanity Ch 2

Into The Strait of Insanity  
_**Discliamer - Ch 1.  
**_Notes - So, here we go. The next chapter. I know this fic won't be tooooo long. I'll say 3 chapters minimum, 5 max. I actually don't even know if I'll get past this chapter actually, it all depends on how it works out and falls through in my head. _grin_Anyway, read and enjoy and...please! Review

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**Into The Strait of Insanity - Ch 2  
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I told you I would let you in on "that night" that I nearly lost it, so here we are. Sitting in our little shitty, not even allowed to be considered a half-circle for story time, right? Well, I hope you don't mind slight drama because, well, I was on the verge of dying. People are allowed to be dramatic in their last hours, right? Or, at least what you might think are your last hours. Anyway, let's see, where should I start? I guess the beginning, but where **_was_** the beginning of this? You don't mean the literal beginning of my drug addiction, right? Good. Cause you would be quite disappointed. Well, let's give this a shot, shall we?

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It was dark out. Night. Late. Most people would be asleep at this hour. It had to be at least three in the morning. That didn't matter to him. He didn't know what the word "sleep" meant, anyway. Hardly ever did, except for the few times when he was sober. He was in the same place he had been for the last three hours. Sitting in the middle of the floor knees drawn to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs, left hand loosely grasping his right wrist just above his ankles, head resting on his knees. The only thing about this scenario that was different than every other night were the tears streaming down his face. He didn't remember why they were there, when they had started, or how he had gotten to this position. All he knew was that he was there, and had been for a really long time.

The tears. Wait. They hadn't come of their own accord. There was a reason. What was it? There had to be a real reason for them. He isn't the type to just...cry in an act of randomness. There HAS to be a reason! What was it?! He couldn't remember, and it, along with the huge dose of drugs from earlier that had yet to wear off, was seriously messing him up. As slowly as possible, he stood up shakily and made his way over to the bed. He sat on the edge of it and leaned over on his knees. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. What had made him so upset. WHAT WAS IT?! He was gripping the sides of his head now. It was slowly starting to drive him into insanity. Something so small, so minute, driving him absolutely nuts.

At some point, he had actually gotten to th position of laying in the bed. He didn't remember doing this, but that didn't matter. He jolted up to sit straight when he heard a loud sound. It was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. It seemed like it was coming from somewhere nearby, so maybe he could figure it out. Whatever the noise was coming from, it was on the bedside table. And it was...oh! The phone. It was ringing. He stared at it for a moment, confused. It rang three more times before he picked it up. "......"

"Hello?" A confused feminine voice came over the phone.

"Charlie?"

"They're here...."

"Who? Who's there?" She sounded worried.

"They're gonna kill me."

"WHAT? Charlie! What's going on?"

"I have to get out of here." Charlie wasn't even aware he was speaking to anyone on a phone. He was just talking.

"No, Charlie, wait! Who's there? What's going on? Where are you--"

Charlie slowly put the phone back down on the receiver. He wasn't sure who that had been, but they were very odd. And why didn't they know what was going on? Who was here? All that they were asking about, they should have known...shouldn't they?

Charlie slowly made his way off the bed to stand up. He stumbled slightly in the darkness as he tried to find his keys. Oh, well. He didn't really need them anyway. He had legs, he could walk, right?

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The beginning is always great, isn't it? No one knows what's really going on, and you've got to be at least **_slightly_** intrigued by what might happen next. I've always liked the beginning. It's the end that I've always hated. The middle is all right, but the beginning is everything. If the beginning is boring, no one cares enough to stick around and find out what happens.

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Charlie wasn't sure when he had got there, but he suddenly found himself in the park. Sitting on a bench. In the middle of a park. Why was he here, again? He wasn't sure. Maybe it was to think. What about, though? He had no idea. Suddenly, he reached up and touched his face, a little under his eye. Right! That was it! Where and why the tears had come. He still wasn't sure about that. Maybe if he tried to focus...

He had gotten home from...something....he didn't know what, but he knew he was having withdrawls. That's why he hadn't been able to think straight and all, right? That's why he'd gotten off work early. People thought he couldn't do his job. Well, they were wrong. He could do his job just fine, he just needed a little help. He needed a little cocaine was all. That's why he had gone home. When he got there, he did his usual routine and soon found himself on a nearly immediate high. He liked that feeling. And the feelings leading up to the velvety feeling that always resulted in the end.

After that, he'd just sat there, for hours, in the same position. His thoughts were reeling, but he something struck him. Something that wasn't good. Something that was so bad that he had let silent streams of tears flow for hours. The only problem was, he still wasn't sure what it was. Oh, well.

Now, Charlie was thinking again, and the thoughts that were running through his mind weren't good. They weren't nice thoughts, or happy ones. They were sad...and depressing, and extremely different than what would usually be there.

_Is anything worth it anymore? Does anyone care? If I was to suddenly disappear, who would try to find me? Maybe Kristina. She's my sister...and the only one that could ever begin to understand me at all. But...is she the only one? I think she is. I don't think there's anyone else in this world that cares on bit about me. Not at all. No one else would miss me if I were gone, would they? Is anything worthing it? Is life **really** worth living? I remember hearing people say that, and "_Live life to its fullest_," but what does that really mean? Does it mean, if there **is** no true '**fullest**' point of your life, or if you've reached it, you should end it? If you've lived your life to the point of fullness, you shouldn't still be around, right? When your life has been complete, you should die. Even if you do it yourself. You shouldn't be allowed to live. If living life to its fullest is what you're supposed to do, God isn't that great of a judge of fullness. I've done everything I've ever wanted to do. Seen lots of places with the band's touring and all....been in a band...gotten drunk off my ass...high to the point of no return...I've even fucked a girl senseless. What else is left for me to do? Why hasn't God rid the world of me? No one cares anyway, right? Maybe I'll play God for a day. Maybe I'll choose if I live or if I die. It's my right, isn't it? Freedom and all, right? _

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I hardly remember anything after that. I remember finding myself with a knife sitting near the stream that ran through some point of the park. I remember not wanting to take my life quickly. I wanted it to be slow. I didn't want the pain accompanied by a slow death, but beggars can't be choosers, right?

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At some point, Charlie has acquired a knife. He was currently sitting cross-legged in front of the stream that ran through the park. It was so clear you could see straight to the bottom during the day, and on nights like tonight. When the moon was just over the stream and shining down directly on it. Charlie wasn't sure why he had picked to do this here, or why he wanted to go out slowly. But here he was, cutting himself. At first, the cuts were small slits; they were only tests. With each slice on his arm, the cuts grew bigger. So much so that by now, they were near gash-sized.

When his arms couldn't be done up much worse, Charlie had decided to start somewhere else. Place of choice being his legs. He didn't get there, though. He wasn't sure what had happened, but something was strange. The knife fell from his hand to lay next to him and he eventually joined it on the ground. Out cold.

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I don't remember much after that. The next thing I remember are lights too bright for their own good and muttered, muffled voices. I had no idea where I was or how I'd gotten there. It was an interesting place, this new surrounding was so bright. I remember a few things from the bright place, though...

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Charlie was slowly coming to. His eyes barely squinting open because of the sheer brightness of the lights in the room. After a few minutes of finding out that he probably wasn't going to be opening his eyes too much anytime soon, something else slowly started to register in his mind. Voice. Muttered voices. Muffled-sounding voices. What were they saying, though? Was it about him? Or did they even know he was there?

"Is he...is he gonna be all right?"

He knew that voice. That was the voice he'd heard earlier. Back at his apartment. Before the park. Yeah, Charlie liked her voice. Not right now, though. He didn't like the tone in her voice. She sounded worried, and scared, and...

"He'll be fine. But it's good you found him when you did. If he had lost much more blood..." The man's voice wasn't familiar. And he wasn't very informative. "And the drugs...they've gotta stop. You have to convince him to stop. If he doesn't stop soon, he might--"

"I've tried, ok! I've been trying! Ever since he was fifteen, but, he just..he won't listen!"

Charlie knew he had heard this girl's voice somewhere besides from the phone earlier in his apartment. But where? And who was she? He didn't know. He couldn't piece things together right now.

"I know that this is a hard thing to deal with. Especially when it's a family member, but you've really got to try to control him, Miss."

Now she was getting annoyed. "Fine, whatever! Can I just see him? Please....you've been talking me for almost ten minutes, I just wanna see him!"

Family member. What was she to him? A cousin? Neice, maybe? No...he didn't have a neice, only a nephew. Was she his aunt? No...she sounded too young to be his aunt. Charlie was confused, but at least now he could open his eyes.

She slowly and attentively made her way into the room. She couldn't believe how she had found him. She didn't even know how she had known where to go. This had never happened before. "Ch--Charlie?" She asked slowly, "Charlie, can you...can you hear me?"

"Who...who are you?" Charlie asked, looking up at her with confused, green-gray eyes.

"Oh, God. You're so out of it you don't even know me." Tears were sliding down her cheeks. "Charlie...It's me. Kristina." She reached out and gently touched his cheek.

Charlie reached up and grabbed her hand, taking it into his own. "Kristina...."

Kris nodded, biting down on her lower lip. "Yeah...Kristina...your sister." She coughed a little, trying to keep hold the tears in. "You really don't remember me, do you?"

"Kris....Kristina...how...how did you find me?"

"I...I don't know. I just...knew where you were. I don't know how I even knew where to go. I guess it was just...one of the feelings, you know?" Kris smiled a little. He seemed to know who she was now.

"But..." Charlie's eyes held something like a cross between sorrow and anger. His voice was neither, though. "Why didn't you leave me?"

"Le--Leave you? No! Charlie, I could never do that! Why would I just leave you there?"

"I don't understand....I was trying to make the world a better place, right? Rid the world of my useless, fulfilled life."

"What?" Kris frowned, confused, staring down at her brother.

"You know that saying, 'Live life to the fullest', right?" When she nodded, he continued, "Yeah, well...I was thinking about that and...I've decided that God doesn't know very well how to judge when **_my_** life is fulfilled. I've done everything I've wanted to do. My life should be over, right? So...that's what I was doing." He explained to her.

Charlie was being so deadly serious, that it sent a shiver up Kristina's spine. "Oh, God, Charlie!" The tears had begun running down her cheeks again. She leaned over and gave his the biggest hug she could. "Charlie! Don't you **_ever_** do that again! I swear to God, if you do, I...I don't know what I'll do."

"Sorry that I made you mad..."

"I'm not angry, I just..." Kris sighed and sat down in one of the chairs provided in the room, her hand still enclosed in Charlie's, "You're my little brother and...I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Yeah, well, let's be glad I'm not the older one, huh?"

"What'd ya mean?"

"Well, isn't the older child in a family supposed to set an example? Imagine if our ages were flipped. Some role model I'd have been."

"Charlie..."

"It's true! Think about it!"

Kristina fell silent. She knew he was right, but she wasn't about to admit it. "Hey, I've gotta go...visiting hours are over and all, you know? They'll be dragging me outta here soon..." She stood up and tried to leave.

Charlie didn't allow his grip on her hand to loosen. In fact, when she tried to leave, it tightened. "Don't leave..."

Kris looked over her shoulder, "But,"

"Stay with me. Stay the night. Please?"

Kristina nodded. "All right..." She smiled a little, "But you know, even if I am staying here, I will need my hand back."

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That night, I promised her I'd go into rehab. That I'd stop. It was the first time I had lied to her in such a big way. Sure, I went to the rehab center and did well enough to let them trust that I wouldn't go back to it. But you know what? Whoever came up with 'Old habits die hard,' was completely right. I know they were. How? Come on, you can't piece things together? Yep...tha's it. I went back. And Kristina found out. I've only talked to her twice since then. I actually betrayed her. I had promised her something and I went back on that promise.

I guess I was right about what I'd said in the hospital, right? It's a good thing the ages weren't switched making me the older sibling. I would have been the worst role model for a younger sister on the face of the earth.

Kris and I had been **_so_** close. And I blew it. I went back on that promise, and she has hardly spoken to me since. Even as the thrity or forty-something of us are all stranded here on this island with this **_thing_**, Kristina, the promise, going back on it, and that night...it's nearly all I can think about. But you know what the most pathetic of it all is? The thing that is in my mind even more than the promise and Kristina...is what the hell I'm going to do if we're stranded here longer than my cocaine is going to last. What am I going to do when I run out of cocaine....

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**Notes - Ok, I don't know exactly just how really realistic that was, but...deal with it, all right, Jack's the doctor, not me! lol.**

**Drop me a line!**

Later days,  
-PFB-


	3. Into The Strait of Insanity Ch 3

Into The Strait of Insanity  
_**Discliamer - Ch 1.  
**_Notes - So, here we go. The next chapter. I think my plans might have changed. I think this'll be longer than 5 chapters. Oh, well. Lol

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**Into The Strait of Insanity - Ch 3  
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I can't believe it. We're actually getting out of this God forsaken hell hole. We've been found. Actually, this is a bit back. We've been on this cruise ship for a good week or so. I can't believe that we were found. It had seemed utterly impossible. And suddenly, out of nowhere at all, we were found. There it was. This huge white cruise ship. I'm going to talk to the people about changing the color of this thing. It's damn bright, you know?

Over the time we were there on the island, I've stopped. Completely. Locke helped, mind you, by taking the drugs away, but I still quit. I'm not going back to it. And if I do...I'll never be able to forgive myself. That'll be the second time I've gone back on a huge promise to anyone in my life. And I don't want to do that. Not again. Not after I did all that for her.

I have to make a call. I've got to call her, talk to her. I can't do this any more. It's not right. She'll never forgive me, though. I know she won't. I wouldn't forgive me if I were her. And if she does....she's a helluva lot better person than I am. I'd never forgive anyone for going back on such a big promise like that. Never. Not in a million years. Had she done that to me...As far as I would be concerned, I'd be an only child. Never have had a sister. Thank the Lord that didn't happen.

I'm surprised I can remember her number. I've dialed it at least a hundred times in the last three days alone. She's not home. Or just not picking up. She can't know it's me, though, right? I mean...it's a phone on a cruise ship, for Christ's sake! Maybe that's why. Maybe she thinks it's a wrong number. But if it was a wrong number, wouldn't they eventually figure it out? Get the number they were really working on dialing? If it was a wrong number, the person calling her wouldn't keep hitting redial every six minutes.

"Hello?" A female voice came to my ear.

I jumped, shocked at the voice, but didn't say anything. Just to hear her voice again was so wonderful. I hadn't talked to her in **_so_** long.

"Hello?" She repeated, confused this time.

"S-Sorry...um...Kristina?"

"Yeah...this is...Kristina...Who is this?"

"Has it really been that long, Kris?" I sighed silently, "You don't even recognize my voice..."

"What? Are you sure you have the right Kristina?"

"Yeah. I'm your brother."

The line was quiet. I could barely even hear her breathing. For a moment, I wondered if she'd hung up.

"No you aren't." She said in a low, harsh tone.

"Yes I am!"

"No! You can't be!"

"Why's that?"

"My brother's been dead for a year!" She shouted into the phone.

No. No. She can't think that! Of all the things, of all the people. _She can't think that_! "No! No, Kristina....no! I'm not dead!"

"Shut up..."

"But--"

"Shut up." It was harsher this time.

"Kris, if you'll just let me explain a bit, I can--"

"SHUT UP!" She screeched. "He...he's not here. He's gone. He's dead." She sounded like she was holding tears back. And if she really believed what she was saying, she probably was.

"No, no...I'm not dead, I'm here, Kris, right here. Right now. On the phone. It's me!"

"Prove it."

I knew she'd ask that. But how would I do that? "Your name is Kristina Anne Rhodes, unless you got married, of course, but I wouldn't know about that, would I, Krissie? No. I wouldn't have been invited to that. Especially if it was within the last year, as I've been stranded on an island with nothing at all!"

"I don't believe you. You aren't my brother. I don't care what you say."

"What do you want me to say to prove it to you, then?"

"Tell me something. Something that no one else would know. Something that only me and Charlie would know." Kristina said quietly, knowing she will have stumped the crazy guy on the phone there.

"The summer....of my Freshmen year in high school, you found out about my addiction. You had tried, since then, up until we stopped speaking over the past four years to make me stop. I never listened. Except that once. When I was laying there in that hospital bed and made that promise to you. That promise to go to rehab. To stop doing the drugs. To not go back to them. But that didn't matter. I broke that promise. That's why we haven't talked in four years, Krissie. That's why."

"No. I don't accept that."

"All right, fine." I have to get a sharper point. My tone has become sharper and slightly higher pitched in my desperation for her to believe me, "The first boy you ever kissed was Jason Pierce. Well, you thought it was Jason, but it was his twin brother Drew, but still, it was all the same, right? And..in...in eighth grade, you smoked. A whole pack of cigarettes. Bet mum and dad still don't know about that, eh? And what about your twenty-first birthday, Kris? Do they know about that? About the drunkenness. The strip club. You...**_dancing_** and **_stripping_** at that club?"

"Oh, my, God! Charlie!"

"Honestly! Took me enough shit to dish out for you to know it!"

"I'm sorry, I just....I didn't know..."

"It's fine, it's fine, don't worry about." For the first time in a really long time, I smiled. "Kris, I..."

"Charlie...."

"Yeah?"

"Did you stop?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because....we said that we wouldn't talk to each other until you stopped. For good. So....unless you're calling for something else that's so extremely important, you stopped, right?" I could hear the small smile in her voice.

"Yeah. I stopped. Honestly! I can get any of the people I was on the island with...they'll tell you. ....Some of them would probably tell you the what I did during the withdrawals, too, but...that's not the point."

"I am...so proud of you, Charlie. You actually quit...Oh...I can't believe this. This is so great! After all these years of me trying to convince you...." She paused, "Now...wait a minute. What's all this talk about being on an island and trapped there for a year? Charlie..." She started to sound doubtful now, "Are you sure you've come off?"

"Yes, I'm sure. And..." I sigh. Great. Now look at all the bloody explaining I've got to do. Dammit. I hate explaining things. "You remember...I was...I was in Australia...gonna come home so we could get the band back together...and I never showed up?"

"Yeah, I was....actually gonna be at the airport. I always wondered if you'd just never taken the flight."

"No...I took the flight, but...we got off course and...crashed on an island and no one knew where we were because no one knew we'd ever got off course. I don't know how we all survived an entire year there....but we did."

"So...you aren't there any more, then?"

"No....we got picked up by a cruise ship. I think we were just lucky."

"Wow. That's insane. Charlie...."

"It's the truth! Honest!"

"But, Charlie, think about that. Think about how farfetched that sounds..."

I've got to find someone to tell her it's true. And just my luck that the easily most hated person from the island would walk by. "Sawyer!"

"What?" He snapped, that Southern accent still managing to creep into the one word.

"I need you to confirm something to my sister."

"Why?" He sounded positively uninterested.

"Because she doesn't believe we were trapped on that bloody island for a year!"

"She damn well better believe it," Sawyer entered the room I'm in. "Give me that phone." He grabbed it from me. "Listen, sweetheart," He started.

"Uh...who's this."

"Name's Sawyer. And I'm here to tell ya that your brother here's not delusional or on anything when he's tellin' ya that forty-eight of us were trapped on that damn island. You believe him, missy, or if I ever meetcha...I'm kickin' your ass."

I took the phone from him and whacked him in the head. "You're not touching my sister!" I shouted out after him as he left.

"Maybe...maybe not. Depends on what you mean." Sawyer winked and went on to go wherever it was he had been originally planning to go.

I sighed and fell back to the bed, "Sorry about that. I think Sawyer's the only one of all of us that didn't come to like anyone on the island at all." I said, apologizing for Sawyer since he would never do it himself, not to mention the fact that he'd already left the room.

"So....were there any women there?"

"Yeah, several, actually." I paused and frowned. That tone in her voice... "Why?"

Kristina ignored the question, "You fancy any of them?" Her voice was teasing, but still serious enough.

"Well, I--"

"What's her name?" I could just **_hear_** the huge grin spreading across her face.

"Claire." I said, knowing she'd never slack off if I didn't just tell her.

"And you never did a thing about it in that year you were trapped, did you?"

"No, but we were all a bit more worried about staying alive, Kris. Somehow, that seemed more important to us all." I said sarcastically. Honestly. She was a true romantic. It could be quite amusing at times. And others, it was utterly annoying.

"You can't tell me that in an _**entire **year_ there was no romance at all between any of the--how many people were there?"

"Forty--forty-eight. There was originally forty-eight of us."

"No romance between so many people? That's not very realistic, Charlie."

"Well...we did leave the island with a few couples. There's...Kate and Jack and I think...Sawyer and Shannon, but I'm not completely sure about those two. They confuse me. And there were others, but....why does that even matter, Krissie?"

"Well, it's just...ever since Drive Shaft split up, you just sort of...drifted, you know? When was your last steady date, eh, Charlie?"

"Drive Shaft's making a comeback, thanks. And...that's none of **_your_** business, now, is it?"

It was obvious from her tone of voice that Kristina was smiling. "I asked you nicely, don't you think I deserve an answer?"

"Couple years, I guess," I muttered before quickly rushing, "Why does it even **_matter_**, Kris?"

"Charlie, you've got to make a movie here, if you really like her. You'll be home soon and if you don't do something now, you may never see her again. You can't just let opportunity slip through your fingers, Charlie."

I laughed lightly. That was Kristina. Ever the romantic. "You're such a hopeless romantic, Kristina."

"And damn proud of it," Kristina immediately went back to, "So, are you going to do anything, Charlie?"

I shook my head, even though she couldn't see that. "I-I...I don't think so."

"Aww, why not?" She actually managed to sound a little disappointed, but she made sure to allow the teasing tone to be evident as well.

I don't remember ever actually sitting up straight and turning to face the wall nearest me, but evidently at some point, I had. I sighed into the phone. "Kriiiis...." I complained.

"Come on, Charlie! This is a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity! You **_know_** what opportunity doesn't do, don't make me tell you again."

"Oh, jeez, not the opportunity thing. That thing goes on for **_hours_**!"

"Not hours," She sounded offended, "Just a good ten minutes or so." She laughed lightly. "Now, straying **_back_** to the subject..." She trailed off. "Why not?"

I sighed again, but actually decided to talk to her, since Kristina **_was_** being so persistent on this, and really probably wouldn't give up for a while. "It's just...I don't think a girl like Claire....would like someone like me. It just doesn't...I don't know, fit, I guess, is the word? I just don't think she'd like me, all right?"

"Is that what you think?" A clearly Australian accent came from behind me.

My eyes widened. No, no, no. Don't let her have heard that. She couldn't have. Oh, but she did. She wouldn't say what she was saying if she hadn't. ....Wait..... What the hell did that mean? Maybe I should find out...

I muttered something to Kristina about calling her back later before I turned around to face the doorway again. I smiled a little, a sheepish sort of smile. No one was supposed to have heard that except Kristina. Dammit. "Hey..."

"Not gonna answer my question?" She asked, tilting her head to the side slightly, her hair falling in her face.

I watched her as she slowly walked into the room and stood in front of me for a moment before sitting down on the bed next to me.

"Oh, right, um...yeah...that's...that's kind of what I think." I decided to at least **_try _**to change the subject. "Where's Hope?"

"Kate's watching her right now." She said softly."About your opinion there..."

I was chewing on my lower lip. It's a nasty nervous habit I've really got to look into getting rid of. "Yeah?"

"I think you're wrong." Claire said, smiling. "And you'd better not chew your lip so much. Ya might just chew it off one day, Chahlie." She grinned.

I smiled back, "Yeah...that wouldn't be good, would it?"

"No...cause then I couldn't do this." She closed the space between us, placing her lips on mine.

Somehow, this seemed backwards to me. Isn't it the guy that's supposed to make the move? Oh, well. Someone had to do it, didn't they? So here we are. God, this feels great. And...no. Now it's ending. Oh, no. I hate these stupid awkward silences. They're so...awkward. I sighed and broke it. I can't stand a weird silence like that. "I hate uncomfortable silences."

"Yeah...they're a real bitch, aren't they?"

I laughed lightly.

She looked up at me, "What?" Her blue eyes held a slight curiosity.

"Just...not something I'd expect you to say, is all."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't try to predict things from someone you've only known for a year."

"Yeah...I'll take note of that."

"Who was that you were talking to before?"

"Uh, my sister, Kristina." Something suddenly struck me. How I didn't realize this before, I'm not quite sure, but I did now. "...Actually...we're going to New York, right?"

Claire nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"Well, Krissie lives there. Maybe we could stay with her."

"We as in...you and me? Or...as in the whole island?"

"Well...you and me, because, I don't know because I haven't seen in four years, but I really doubt that she's got room enough for forty-eight people. Fifty maybe? Fifty-one? I don't know, she never did tell me if she was married or not. I know I've got a niece, but...she was only just born when we'd....started not talking."

"It's all right, Chahlie, that's all over now." Claire smiled a little.

"Yeah...it is." I smiled, too. "It really is."

"All right. So, um, we'll stay with your sister, then?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm sure it'll be all right with her, I'll just have to call her back..."

"From what I can understand, we'll be there in a day, so...she can just sort of expect us then-ish?" Claire smiled.

I laughed a little, "Yeah, all right, then. I'll go ahead and call her, tell her...so she can expect us."

"Ok. I'm gonna go get my baby girl back." She said, getting up and walking towards the door. Before she left, she turned back to him, "Don't ever become a mother. It's very addictive." She grinned and waved her fingers at him.

"I'll keep that in mind," I laughed and fell back on the bed, grabbing the phone and hitting redial.

--------------

**Notes - Aww...that was cute, eh? I hope it was. I hope it didn't end up being all cheap and cheesy. Except I like cheese, so, I probably wouldn't notice. LOL! **

**Oh, and if you want to know about the "opportunity thing" that Charlie & Kristina were talking about, let me know. It's from a different fic I wrote, but it's so funny. I'll probably put it up before the next chapter starts, so....if you are looking at this now, look at that starting A/N. It'll be funny. **

**Drop me a line!**

Later days,  
-PFB-


	4. Into The Strait of Insanity Ch 4

Into The Strait of Insanity  
_**Discliamer - Ch 1.  
**_Notes - My "Opportunity Reel" is as follows:

_Opportunity didn't knock once, ring the door bell, knock again, leave a memo, e-mail you, send you a letter, come to you in the middle of a very erotic dream, posses other people to have them remind you about your missed chance, leave you a voice message on your cell phone, Instant Message you, Text Message you, somehow manage to get on the TV show you happen to think is the best ever in order to actually be able to hold your attention, give you subliminal messages through the tracks on your favorite CD, leave a message on your home answering machine, become your next dating victime and then call you and say, "I'm sorry I missed you before, maybe we can try this again sometime." And if opportunity **did** do all of that...the voice on the other end of the phone wouldn't be very happy; probably stark raving mad and very loud, actually. If opportunity really went to all that trouble to give you back your chance, don't you think more people would pay attention and that opportunity would be at least a little tired? Opportunity is probably wanting that vacation time now, huh?_

And now on with the fic! Oh, and it won't be in Charlie's P.O.V. from now on unless said otherwise....

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**Into The Strait of Insanity - Ch 4  
**------------------------------------------------------

Charlie looked at the paper in his hand, checking the address. It was right, according to his paper. He glanced over at the blonde woman next to him, smiling a little. It looked so natural for Claire to have Hope in her arms. He walked up the three steps that led to the front porch and rapped on the door.

Moments later, it was opened to reveal a small girl with wild red curls. She left the screen door close, it being the only thing between them. She blinked up at the strange man. She kept her green eyes on him as she spoke, "Mooo-mmmy!" She shouted, her eyes still on the man on the other side of the door.

"What is it, Mandy? I'm a little busy with your brother. Can you do this on your own?" The voice was feminine and familiar to Charlie.

"No! Mommy! There's a man at the door!"

"Is it Roger? The mail man? Just get the mail, honey!"

"No, it's not Roger, mama! I know Roger! I don't know him!"

"Ask him, **_please_**, Mandy. Just ask him who he is."

"Ummmmm....Mister Man On The Other Side Of The Door, who ar eyou?" Mandy asked, looking up at him expectantly.

"I'm a friend of your mum's."

"Never seen you 'a'fore." She said with that accent all kids seemed to have at four.

"Well, we haven't talked in a long time."

"Mommy! He says he's your friends and you haven't talked in a hundred bazillion years!"

"Bazillion isn't a true tome of existence, honey."

"He said it..." Mandy said in a young, argumentative tone.

Charlie smiled at the girl She was absolutely adorable. And his niece.

"Just like him in, then, Mandy!"

"Ok...." The girl said skeptically before slowly opening the door, "Mama's busy with Jake right now." She said.

Before going in, Charlie glanced at Claire, making a motion with his eyes for her to follow him. As he entered the house, he spoke to Mandy, "Oh, that's all right. I can talk to you, can't I?" Charlie smiled at her.

"No," She said swiftly, bouncing over to the couch, "I have TV to watch." She declared, hopping onto the couch and promptly gluing her eyes to the television set, but not before quickly saying, "Maybe later."

Charlie laughed lightly. "What kind of show can a four year old have that's so important?" He asked Claire quietly.

Claire shrugged and smiled, "I don't know, but she's absolutely adorable!"

"Hey, I'll be right back, all right?" He said, kissing Claire on the cheek. Charlie wasn't sure exactly where he was going, he was just winding his way through the house towards the noise of a screaming boy. Charlie shook his head. He had a nephew, too? He stopped in the doorway and watched his sister struggle with the two year old boy. He was being very uncooperative. All she was trying to do was put a shirt on him. However, he wanted no part in it.

"No!" He shouted, crossing his arms above his head, so as to not get the shirt on.

Kristina sighed and sank to her feet again. "Come on, Jake! Please? I don't want you getting sick! It's cold out!"

"So?"

"So, you need a shirt, now let me put it on you!"

"NO!"

"Then you put it on!"

The boy took the shirt from her and put it on. Absolutely basackwards.

Kristina sighed, "Honey, you put it on backwards," When she reached over to take it off of him, so as to put it on him right, the boy let out an ear-piercing scream. "All right, fine, whatever At least you've got it on." She sighed and stood up, watching the boy run out of the room, but never actually seeing him go out the door way as she started picking up toys from around the room.

Charlie grinned. Perfect opportunity. He slowly crept up behind her and grabbed her by the waist, never saying a word.

"Oh, James, I thought you--"

"I'm far from any James you're trying to talk to, but I hope that--"

"Charlie!" She squealed and somehow, though his grip was still on her waist, she managed to turn around to face him, only to engulf him in a hug. "Uaahh...I can't believe you're really here." She grinned and stepped back. "I haven't seen you in so long."

"Well...that's not your fault, Kris." Charlie said, a certain darkness about his words.

"Oh, Charlie...that's...that's completely your fault," Kristina slid her hand into his and clasped her fingers into the bends of his, closing her own fingers in his.

"Yeah, yeah, it is. I told you I'd do the rehab and stay clean and I didn't. I broke my promise. And...I wouldn't stop, even for you. And you're the only one in our family that didn't disown me. You were the only one that was ever there for me, Kris. God, you don't know what it was like losing you for those years, Kris. You just can't imagine. You'd been...sort of a security blanket, almost, and...I lost you. It was horrible..." He laced their fingers and squeezed her hand.

"But it's all right now. It's over. And...you found me." She grinned.

"Mommy!" Many yelled, "Jake changed the channel! I was watching something!" She cried out.

Kristina scoff-laughed and shook her head, "Kids, huh?" She slowly unlaced their fingers and followed Charlie down the hall to the living room. "Now, what is the deal here?" She asked, looking between her children.

"I was watching Dora and he changed it to Bob the stupid Builder!" Mandy whined.

"Was your sister's show over yet, Jake?"

Jake looked up at his mother and pulled one of those cutesey faces that all kids were blessed with. "I dunno...."

"Well, I know! And it wasn't!" Mandy shouted at her brother.

"Hey!" Kristina shouted, "Don't you yell at him, young lady!"

Mandy glared at Jake. "It still wasn't over."

"Mandy..." Kristina warned.

Charlie intervened. "Hey," He said, kneeling down next to the two of them, "Mandy...how would you like..." He glanced up at Kristina, "For your Uncle Charlie to take you to meet a famous band?"

Mandy looked as if she were considering her options before she looked up at her mother. "Who's uncle Charlie, mommy?"

Kristina chuckled as Charlie ducked his head. "He's your uncle Charlie, hon."

"Oooh!" Mandy turned to her uncle, "You know famous people?" She asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Charlie chuckled, "Yeah. The band was really popular awhile back, but they broke up."

"Aww....tha's sad."

Charlie smiled, "But it's all right, they're making a comeback. Know what that means?" When she shook her head, Charlie continued, "It means they're making more music. And you know what else?"

"What?" She exclaimed, obviously excited.

"You're uncle Charlie's a part of that band," He said, tapping her on the nose.

"You are? Wooow. My uncle's famous!" She turned to her brother, all previous vexed thoughts towards him gone, "Did'ju hear that, Jake? Uncle Charlie's famous!"

Jake clapped, "Yay! Unce Chawie!"

Charlie chuckled and stood up, receiving a skeptical look from his sister. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Charlie."

"I'm not! We were only going to LA to confirm the record deal, we were coming here to do everything else. I'm sure the guys got thte contract set. They're around here somewhere. All I've got to do is check the clubs tonight. I'll find 'em."

"Oh, yes, bring drunken men into my house. No, I don't think so." Kristina shook her head, and quietly added, "And I don't think it's such a good idea for you to hang around them right now, do you?"

Charlie shook his head, "You're probably right."

"All right, you two, upstairs, to your rooms, now."

Charlie had made his way to stand behind Claire, his hands resting on her shoulders. When Kristina looked up at them, he nodded towards Claire and winked at his sister.

Kristina smiled, "So, you must be Claire."

"It seems that way." Claire smiled, "And you're Kristina, nice to meet you,"

The women shook hands and Kristina saw the baby in the other woman's arms. "Aww...she's so cute. What's her name?"

"Hope." Claire smiled.

"That's a beautiful name." She smiled and for a moment, glanced up at her brother, clearly saying that they needed to talk earlier. "So....you want to see the room you'll be staying in for now? Go ahead and try to get things...straightened out and whatnot?"

Claire looked up a Charlie and they both nodded. That seemed like a good idea.

-------------

Notes – All right, so the chapter was shorter than the rest, but whatever. Aren't Mandy and Jake utterly adorable? I thought they were. Anyway....

**Drop me a line!**

Later days,  
-PFB-


	5. Into The Strait of Insanity Ch 5

Into The Strait of Insanity  
_**Discliamer - Ch 1.  
**_Notes – All I can say is: This should be fun. And Charlie has uber-cool Uncle-Skills! LOL!

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Into The Strait of Insanity – Ch 5  
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Considering they hadn't had too much of anything to unpack and whatnot, Charlie and Claire had settled into the room that Kristina had decided that they would share. This meant that not long after they had what little bit of belongings there were between the two of them set, Charlie wrist was taken and he suddenly found himself being dragged into another room. 

Kristina closed the door to her room behind her, but stayed silent.

"Kris....What are you doing?"

"Dragging you into my room so we can talk about Claire without her being here." Kristina said as if this should be very obvious before sitting down on her bed.

Charlie rolled his eyes and lay across the width of the bed on his side in front of her, propped up by one arm, "Kristina....why did you have to be such a romantic?"

"Because it's what God wanted." Kristina nodded, "Anyway--"

"Kris. Honestly. Don't **_even_** start."

"Too bad. I'm older and I'm choosing not to listen to your request." Kristina grinned at him and continued with what she was going to say, "How long have you been together?"

"Well, let's see," Charlie started off sarcastically, "I talked to you about it yesterday and we got here today. So, I'd say about a day. Honestly, Krissie, I know math was never your strong suite, but come on..." He teased.

"Oh, shut up, Charlie, You don't even know what you're going on about."

"Maybe I don't, so what?"

Kristina just leaned back against the pillows at the head of the bed and crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a pointed look.

Charlie rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever. Grill me. There's nothing for me to tell you, anyway."

Kristina scoffed, "Now you went and ruined it for me!"

"What?" Charlie had turned around and was lying on the bed on his back, his head in his sister's lap.

"You told me everything!"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Charlie asked, looking up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well...yeah, but..."

"That's like getting the thing you want most for Christmas and then when you get it, saying, 'Mum? Dad? Why did you get me this? I want a cell phone, not a laptop'."

"Hey," She slapped him, "Shut up!"

"Oh! You **_did_** do that, didn't you?" Charlie laughed.

"Charlie, shut up!"

That only made Charlie laugh harder. He had to sit up, though, because his sister was letting him have a whole barrage of slaps.

"All right, all right! I give up! You win! Uh...I dunno what else to say, just **_stop_**!" Charlie laughed and clasped her hands together with his.

"Oh! Earlier, when you came in and I was calling you James and whatnot—yeah, I'm married—"

"And all this time I'd thought you'd become a whore and just accidentally ended up with two kids." Charlie laughed.

"Charlie!" Since her hands weren't usable at the moment, she voted for sticking her tongue out at him. "Anyway, James is out on business and I've got a board meeting tomorrow, so, I was wondering if you and Claire might..."

"Watch the kids instead of you having to pay a babysitter, right?"

Kristina nodded. "Yeah..."

"Of course!" Charlie declared. He thought it was great. He would get to play Cool Uncle for awhile.

"Oh, you **_so_** rock!"

"Well, that was the plan. Rock God, you know." Charlie grinned.

"Honestly, Charlie, thanks."

"Seriously! I get to be the cool uncle for a day. Not to mention I have fame stories to share."

"Yeah...how about you leave out the horrible drunkenness and drug-doing out until their older. Like.... When they're thirty."

"Right. Well, then, I suppose I could always tell them what it's like being trapped on an island with forty-some-on strangers, then." Charlie grinned.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find a way to entertain them, Charlie. I have **_no_** doubts about that."

Charlie nodded, "Yeah. Some way or the other, they'll be occupied."

----------

Charlie had known that he and Claire were going to have to watch the kids today, but he hadn't known it was going to start so **_early_**!

At exactly six thirty-three in the morning, Mandy crept into her uncle's room. She didn't know if he was like daddy and a really light sleeper or more like mommy, who took some work to wake. She wasn't quite sure what to do to wake him. She decided to test the waters first. When she was at his side, she poked him. That did nothing, so she shook his shoulder a bit. He stirred a little but didn't do anything else. Already getting tired of waiting, Mandy climbed into the bed and jumped onto his stomach. "Uncle Charlie! Wake up!"

"Ow! Mandy...that was my stomach, in case you didn't know." Charlie muttered before looking up at the girl with bleary eyes. "Now, what are you doing?"

"Waking you up, silly!"

"But...why?" Charlie asked, glancing at the clock and seeing it was only six thirty.

"Because. Mommy's gone. Daddy's gone. And Aunt Claire is busy with Baby Hope and Jake. So...you have to help me!"

It didn't quite register in Charlie's clouded mind that Mandy had just called Claire her Aunt. "All right, then. What is it that you're wanting to do?"

"Eat breakfast.' Many said as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Right, right, ok. Well, here's what I need you to do." Charlie smiled a little as he noticed he'd grabbed her attention. "Get off of me. And let me get out of bed." He said very seriously.

Mandy giggled but did as she was told, falling off of her uncle onto the bed. "You're funny!"

"Am I, now?" When the child nodded vigorously, Charlie grinned and said, "Well, I bet you won't think I'm so funny in a minute."

"Why?" Mandy's green eyes were wide and sparkling with wonder.

"Because...I just might turn into..."

"Into what? Into what?"

Charlie bit back a laugh, but couldn't contain the grin spreading across his face, "The Evil, Maniacal Tickler!"

Before he even had a chance to do a single thing, Charlie watched as Mandy squealed and rolled off the bed, darting out the door. Well, he wasn't about to let her get off that easy! He slid across the width of the bed and ran after her down the hallway. "Get back here my lovely little victim!"

"No!" Mandy squealed, giggling as she reached the stairway.

Unfortunately for the four year old, Charlie was right behind her and he caught up to her, but he let her get down the stairs first, it would just be an easier task on surely flat ground. When he caught up to her, Charlie scooped the tiny girl into his arms and started tickling her with a free hand.

Mandy squealed, "Ah!! No! He got me! Stop! Stop! Stoooo-oooop!" She pleaded through her giggles.

Charlie laughed and stopped tickling her, setting her down on her feet again. He watched as she ran towards the kitchen, "C'mon, Uncle Charlie! Breakfast!"

"Oh, right. Breakfast." Charlie said, a bit weary of this bit. He'd never really been good in a kitchen...

---------

When Charlie had convinced Mandy that whatever they did for breakfast would have to be easy, she told him that toast would be just fine. When Charlie had managed to even ruin the toast, Mandy said to him, "Uncle Charlie. **_How_** did you mess up **_toast_**? **_I_** can make toast and I'm only **_four_**!" She even held her fingers up to show him.

"I don't **_know_** how I messed the toast up. I just know that I did. And that I **_told_** you I'm not good in a kitchen."

"But...." Mandy blinked at him. "It's toast."

Charlie sighed, "Yes. It is. But I messed it up and...if you know you could fix it so well, why didn't you in the beginning?"

Mandy arched an eyebrow at him, "Who are you kidding? I'm **_four_**!"

"But...you just said that...oh, forget that. You're four."

Claire had been standing in the doorway of the kitchen behind Charlie for the last few minutes, listening to their toast argument. She laughed a little at the last bit. "How about...I take over from here?"

Charlie glanced over his shoulder at the blonde. Then to the very burnt toast. Then back to Claire. He nodded. "Yep. That'd be a good idea because **_that_**," He pointed at the non-toast, "......Is from the toaster."

"Wow." Claire laughed again, "That's kind of pathetic, Charlie. All you have to do is put the bread in the toaster and...not put the setting so high! No wonder!" She shook her head, "You are absolutely adorable in every way, you know that?" She asked, kissing him on the cheek.

"I do now."

Mandy didn't like feeling ignored, so she spoke up, "Soo....Uncle Charlie's **_not_** fixing breakfast, then? Right? Because his breakfast scares me."

Charlie and Claire both laughed, "Yes, I'll be fixing your breakfast," Claire said, "Your Uncle Charlie can give a stab at lunch later. Maybe he can manage a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

"Hey! I resent that I'm kitchen-illiterate, all right?" Charlie tried in a half-attempt to defend himself.

Mandy laughed at him, which turned Charlie's attention to her again. A grin spread across his face. "Shouldn't have done that, little one..."

"Why not?" She challenged him.

"Because now...I'm going to have to tickle you some more!" With that, the girl squealed and darted out of the room, Charlie not far behind her.

Claire shook her head. From what she understood, he didn't even know his niece and nephew, but he was so great with Mandy already. That's all Charlie was. A big kid. And Claire liked that about him.

--------

It was around five when Kristina's car pulled into the driveway. Claire was braiding Mandy's hair, a la the girl's request, and Charlie was playing with Jake. Just when Kristina entered the house, all of the adults stopped for a moment with Mandy's words. "Uncle Charlie?"

"Yeah?" Charlie sat up from his position on the floor, looking at the cherry-headed girl.

"How come you and Aunt Claire don't wear rings like mommy and daddy?"

All three adults stopped what they were doing; Claire stopped mid-braid, Charlie set Jake, who he had previously been tossing in the air, down on the floor, and Kristina dropped her keys at the door.

Mandy looked around at them all, confused. "What?"

Charlie was the one that took up answering the question. "See....first of all...Claire....she's, um...she's not your Aunt, sweetie." _No matter how much I'd already love her to be..._

That didn't make things clear to Mandy. "Huh? How is she not?"

"Well, you see...your mum and dad...they're married, that's why they wear the rings. Claire and I...we aren't...and...that means, she's not your aunt." Charlie wondered if that made sense to the child.

Mandy frowned. That didn't make any sense. "But...I saw you kissing. Mommy and Daddy kiss. Doesn't that mean something?"

"Well...yes, but...it doesn't mean the same thing. Well, it does but...that's a lot more complicated matter. The point is, Mandy...Claire isn't you're aunt."

Mandy looked at him with the best skeptical look a four-year-old could possibly posses. "I don't believe you!" She said in an accompanying disbelieving tone. "She's my aunt and there's nothing you can do about it."

Charlie pressed his lips together to keep the laughter at bay. His shoulders were already shaking from his laughter. He shook his head, "All right, if that's how you see it..."

"Well..is it. She's my aunt!" She stuck her tongue out at Charlie.

"Mandy, what did I tell you about that?" Kris said in a warning tone.

"But--"

"Mandy..."

"Ok..." She muttered, defeated.

---------

That night, when they were in their room for the night, as Claire was laying down, she smiled. "I think it's cute that Mandy is so insistent on me being her aunt."

Charlie grinned, "Yeah...She just doesn't understand..."

"I think she might mistakably be trying to tell you something, Charlie." It was Claire's turn to grin now.

"Mmm...maybe she is." Charlie smiled, "But we'll never know because she's only four." He laughed lightly.

Claire laughed a bit as well, "That's true." _But I can always imagine it that way, can't I?_

"Well, uh...good night...I guess..."

Claire smiled, "Yeah, 'night." She said, leaning up and kissing him lightly before lying back down.

---------

**Notes – Aww...isn't that just adorable? Mandy is so cute! Ok, I swear! Next chapter, I'm putting Jake in it. For real. He's not gotten any time in here yet, so, he shall in Chapter 6.**

**Drop me a line!**

Later days,  
-PFB-


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